January 2019

Alfred State College students in the heavy equipment operations program recently joined forces with the Allegany County Soil & Water Conservation District to find a temporary solution to the erosion of Van Campen Creek in Friendship.

According to an article by The Spectator, the creek was threatening several homes and the ACCORD building on Route 275 in Friendship. For roughly three to four weeks, Alfred State students worked on the project, helping to divert the stream away from the houses that it was threatening.

Service to others is one of the many values that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. cherished and encouraged throughout his lifetime. Embodying the legacy that Dr. King left behind, Alfred State College students, faculty, and staff all devote their time and efforts to make their community and the world a better place.

One way in which Alfred State pays tribute to Dr. King is by honoring those who represent his spirit of service. This year, the college will host its ninth annual Celebration of Service Award Ceremony at 5 p.m. Jan. 29 at Union University Church, 29 N. Main St. in Alfred.

This ceremony continues to be a collaborative program between Alfred State and Alfred University. It is open to the public and all are invited to attend.

Each year during the ceremony, the college presents a student, a faculty or staff member, and a community member with a Spirit of Service Award, which recognizes and celebrates those in the Greater Alfred community who demonstrate a strong commitment to serving others. The award is intended to honor people who are actively living out the principles Martin Luther King Jr. stood for, including equality, social justice, community, and service.

Last year’s recipients were the Allegany-Cattaraugus-Chautauqua Fund for Women; Cassandra Bull, an AmeriCorps VISTA member; and Samantha Smith, a nursing major from Eldred, PA. Dr. Timothy Cox, an ambulance lieutenant and professor of English, and John Hosford, a fire department quartermaster and visual resources curator, were presented with the 2018 Alfred University Faculty/Staff Spirit of Service Award. Alfred University student Elvira Rodriguez was presented with the 2018 Alfred University Student Spirit of Service Award.

Alfred State also recognizes students, faculty, and staff who demonstrate leadership through civic engagement by presenting the College Council Leadership through Civic Engagement Award and the Newman Civic Fellows Award.

Examples of some of the civic engagement opportunities that Alfred State is a part of include Celebrate Service Celebrate Allegany and Community Action Day, both of which are days of community service projects that take place throughout the local community. During the 2017-2018 academic year, students performed approximately 80,000 hours of community service through class-based applied learning and co-curricular programs.

Everyone at some point in their life has been dared by someone – a friend, a sibling, a classmate. For Alfred State College employees, that list also now includes President Dr. Skip Sullivan.

During his spring 2019 Opening Remarks speech, Sullivan dared faculty and staff to make a difference in the lives of students, keeping in mind the acronym he created: DARE, which stands for “Deliver Alfred’s Remarkable Experience.”

“There are many ways to do that. I dare you to do it,” Sullivan said. “You only have to speak with alums, look at yearbooks, and talk with retirees to understand a little more clearly about what this Alfred experience means. An alum recently asked me what I valued most as being president of Alfred State. It was a good question, but part of that answer was certainly to be able to preserve the ‘experience’ of Alfred.”

Sullivan went on to relay several examples of what that experience can be for people, based on conversations he has had with numerous Pioneers.

“That experience might have been something related to their Greek experience. It might have been being a part of the national championship ski team in the ‘70s, traveling with the choir, building ice sculptures, the pub, dining hall trays, snowball fights, or participating in any number of events that may have happened at Alfred State during their time here,” he said. “For some, it was experiences that prepared them for work and life.”

In helping to Deliver Alfred’s Remarkable Experience, Sullivan said he and Alfred State employees need to consider their roles in making that happen.

“Every single student deserves the very best experience we as a college can deliver,” he said. “Can you reflect on every semester and ask yourself, ‘Did I help a student? Was I a part of the success story of that student this semester?’ Nothing is more rewarding to me as the president than to witness the growth that a student makes during their time here.”

Regardless of your position, Sullivan told faculty and staff, “do not underestimate your importance in making this Alfred experience remarkable.”

“You are hereby officially dared as employees to make a difference,” he said. “In fact, I double dog dare you.”

Additionally, Sullivan spoke about programs in development, facilities upgrades, athletics, achievements, the college budget, and more.

After Opening Remarks, employees proudly wear “Alfred State: Dare to be Great” pins to kick off the spring semester.

The Center for Community Education and Training (CCET) at Alfred State College is now accepting applications for the Alfred State Police Academy, set to launch May 14.

The academy will serve recruits in both pre-employment (Phase I) and employed (Phase II) stages. Graduates will earn either the Pre-Employment Certificate (Phase I) or the Basic Course for Police Officers Certificate (Phase II). Serving as session director will be Scott Richardson, who brings with him more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement.

To access the application and to view a checklist for joining the police academy, visit www.alfredstate.edu/police-academy/application. Applications must be printed, filled out by hand, and submitted by mail to: Scott Richardson; Police Academy Director; Alfred State College; Pioneer Center; 10 Upper College Drive; Alfred, NY 14802.

After reviewing an application and verifying the submitted information, Richardson will then contact the applicant to set up an interview, during which time he will inform the applicant as to whether their application has been accepted or denied. Recruits who have been accepted will be required to pay a $500 non-refundable deposit to secure their position in the academy. Additionally, a pre-physical fitness test will take place at the start of the academy.

For more information on the police academy, please contact CCET at 607-587-4015 or CCET@alfredstate.edu.

Art lovers are invited to take a walk “Off the Beaten Path” and enjoy some stunning and colorful artwork by Wellsville native Karen Lang at Alfred State’s Hinkle Memorial Library from Jan. 17 to Feb. 28.

In “Off the Beaten Path,” according to the exhibit’s description, elements of everyday life such as landscapes, flowers, and still life “are abstracted and reinvented using a combination of painting techniques – free-flowing watercolors, collage, ink, monoprint – sometimes mixed, sometimes standing alone.

“The subjects,” the description continues, “are mostly imaginary but appear familiar to us, with their essence drawn from the surrounding environment. Memories are reduced to color combinations and shapes; take a walk in the woods, smell the flowers, listen to the birds.”

Lang, a native of Wellsville, said her discovery of painting as a form of expression undoubtedly evolved out of a lifelong affinity to music. After completing a Bachelor of Music Education at Ithaca College, a year of string teaching in Penn Yan, and her Master of Music in Performance at Wichita State University, Lang said she felt the need “to explore the European roots of our musical and cultural heritage.”

“Freedom of the Fields” is one of the works of art that will be featured in the
upcoming “Off the Beaten Path” exhibit at Alfred State College’s Hinkle Memorial
Library.

“With suitcase and fiddle in hand, I set off for Germany and soon landed a job playing violin with the Berliner Symphoniker – an orchestra with which I still perform,” she said. “Berlin has become my home away from home; here I have my art studio and work as a freelance musician. Regular trips back to western New York and my ‘roots’ are still very important, though. I look forward to visiting family and friends, as well as finding comfort and inspiration in the quiet, rolling hills around Wellsville.”

After years of being inspired by the works of others in museums and art exhibits around the world, Lang said it was “inevitable that I, too, pick up a paintbrush.”

“Painting offers freedoms that are unknown to orchestra musicians, and is a wonderful complement to the audible arts,” she said. “Borderlines between ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ fade away, and the colors of ‘major’ and ‘minor’ become visible. Composer, conductor, and performer are united as one.”

“Off the Beaten Path” will be open for viewing during normal library hours. Additionally, a reception for the exhibit will be held in the Hinkle Gallery from 4-6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25.

As a way to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Alfred State College’s Center for Intercultural Unity will host MLK Dream Week from Jan. 21-25.

The week will include a series of events that pay tribute to Dr. King’s memory, and the beliefs and principles for which he stood. All events are free and open to the public.

“We are honored to host a week of events that celebrates the legacy Dr. King left this country,” said Nikkie Herman, chief diversity officer and Title IX coordinator for the Center for Intercultural Unity. “Now, more than ever, is a time to focus on dreams, service, and kindness, and that we all have something wonderful to offer our campus and community; what great things to focus on as we start a new semester! Special thanks to the newest addition to The Center for Intercultural Unity, OJ Shepard, for all his hard work to make this week come together.”

The schedule of events for MLK Dream Week is as follows:

Dream board making from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22 in the Student Leadership Center (SLC) Lounge and Print Center. Participants will be able to create visuals for themselves as a reminder of what dreaming means to them.

Screening of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech at noon Wednesday, Jan. 23 in the SLC Park Space.

Laser tag with a twist at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24 in the Orvis Activities Center gymnasium. Divided into teams of four, participants will play classic games of laser tag. However, they will “have to see the game through a different lens,” according to event organizers.

Peace pledge signing from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25 in the SLC Park Space. Attendees will have the opportunity to sign a banner to signify their pledge to promote peace throughout the Alfred community.

For more information, contact The Center for Intercultural Unity at 607-587-4076.

After making landfall just outside of Wilmington, NC, in mid-September, Hurricane Florence wound up having devastating effects.

Alfred State student Katie Rustay prepares studs for mold sanitation
during a recent disaster relief trip to New Bern, NC.

With its 90 mph winds, Florence left 800,000 people without power. Dumping 18 trillion gallons of water, it became the wettest tropical system to ever hit North and South Carolina, and caused a flooding crisis and emergency evacuations across the Carolinas.

In response, a group of Alfred State College volunteers recently traveled to New Bern, NC, where they teamed up with disaster relief organization All Hands and Hearts to help provide some much-needed help and make a difference in the lives of those affected by the storm.

While in North Carolina, the volunteers assisted with residential flood cleanup, which included mucking and gutting, debris removal, debris cleaning, and mold sanitation. White, a clinical coordinator/instructional support assistant in radiologic technology at Alfred State, said being a part of the disaster relief trip was a wonderful and transformative experience.

“The work was hard but light. Your body was sore but your heart was full,” she said. “The people of New Bern were ever grateful and appreciative of our presence and our help. It felt so rewarding to know that we were helping people who had lost virtually everything get back into their homes and restore some semblance of normalcy to their lives. Seeing all of the volunteers who had taken time out of their lives restored something in me too: hope in the future and in humanity.”

Rustay said the trip was truly an eye-opening experience.

“When meeting the home owners who were impacted, you could see the joy in their faces,” she said. “This is what made all the hard work and exhaustion worth it! I would love to participate in another trip in the near future.”

With classes canceled at ASC for Monday, January 21, the Office of Student Engagement and Campus Recreation invite all members of the Alfred State community to join us in a day of fun activities. All students, faculty, staff, and families are welcome.

Pioneer Fitness Center is open 9:30 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Student Leadership Center:

Rock wall climbing beginning at 11 a.m.

Board games and lawn games, with free snacks in the Park Space noon – 4 p.m.

HBO Go, foosball, and ping pong in the SLC Lounge (205) noon – 4 p.m.

Near Orvis Activities Center:

A basketball tournament in the gym noon – 3 p.m.

The Tubing Hill opens noon – 3 p.m. and 5 – 8 p.m.

*Temperatures and wind chill are forecasted to be at or below 0 degrees, so please take extreme caution and dress accordingly.

Updated Saturday, January 19 10:00 a.m.

Based on the severity of winter storm forecasts for the weekend, Alfred State College is canceling classes on all campuses for Monday, January 21. Events scheduled for celebration of MLK Dream Week will proceed as planned. Only essential personnel are to report to work on Monday

Posted Thursday, January 17 3:00 p.m.

With forecasts for a winter storm, ASC is providing flexible move-in times. All residence halls are open as of 8 a.m. Friday, January 18. We encourage students to monitor forecasts and plan travel accordingly. www.511ny.org

Returning students must park in commuter or fac/staff lots to allow crews access for snow removal. Students shall move to student lots at 5 p.m. Sunday.

Food service is available on campus with these options over the weekend:

Supported and organized by the Center for Appalachian Studies and Services at East Tennessee State University, ATP is an applied-research training program for college and graduate students to design community-based economic development initiatives across the Appalachian Region as part of a school-based curriculum.

According to the ARC, schools participating in ATP offer a directed seminar guiding students in developing and executing field-based research projects specific to the needs of their surrounding communities and in alignment with the goals outlined in ARC’s current Strategic Investment Plan. As a capstone to this work, student teams travel to Washington, DC, to formally present their research to other participating schools, community leaders, and ARC leadership.

The 2018 ATP symposium was held at the Crystal City Marriott in Arlington, VA, and featured 150 students representing 15 schools from 11 Appalachian states. The team from Alfred State included fourth-year students in Design Studio 5: Urban Studio.

The Alfred State students’ presentation centered on a project they undertook this semester involving a community visualization study of the village of Andover. The purpose of the study was to help residents and municipal officials envision potential strategies for preserving and revitalizing their existing business district. The research team was led by William Dean, a professor in Alfred State’s Department of Architecture and Design.

The Appalachian Regional Commission is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments, focusing on 420 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation.

More than 2,250 students from 22 colleges and universities across Appalachia have participated in the ATP since the program began in 2001.

With winter break coming to a close, Alfred State welcomed its students back to campus this week for the start of a brand-new spring semester.

Among those returning were hundreds of scholars who made the dean’s list for the fall 2018 semester. To be listed, students must have completed at least 12 credit hours for the semester and earned a 3.5 grade point average (GPA) out of a possible 4.0.

For the most recent semester, the dean’s list includes 776 students. In addition, 188 of these students achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA.

Dr. Kristin Poppo, provost at Alfred State, said, “Alfred State is pleased to recognize students who excel in their academic studies. Achieving dean's list recognition is a significant accomplishment in our rigorous degree programs. Congratulations to all and have an equally successful spring semester.”

The college congratulates all of the students who earned dean’s list honors. The students’ hometown newspapers receive information regarding honorees, including details for each student earning a perfect 4.0 GPA. The complete dean’s list is available online at www.alfredstate.edu/deans-list.